The Abbey

[Outisakanobody]

"...I assume any injured parties would be in the sanitarium?" Grace asked, shifting her focus now.

Lance also looked into the hole more deeply, interested in it in a morbid way.

[Vanitypirate]

"I... hadn't heard of any injured parties explicitly-- but I would think so." The guard nodded, grimacing, as he looked anxiously to Lance.
"Er... I'd be careful with that, lad; it goes right on to the Warrens."

The tunnel seemed to be only a bit short, but it was dark; it seemed to lead to another room, but it smelled foul, like rot.

[Bloodtrailkiller]

/Lekalis/
"Ay, Best end!" He affirmed with zest and jubilancy, noting only the slightest lapse in the sour mood, which he rather immediately capitalized upon with a merry skip forward and twirl to face her with a tilt of his head. Making sure to skip a hairs bredth above Courcy's blade.

Family, though? Of course, naturally... It was the natural best ending. Though a level of foresight made the Ex-Lord chuckle awkwardly, his jubilancy hiccuping as he offered a wide smile and rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at Courcy's boots.

"Ay-Ay, I count you amongst those of my freshest, noblest retinue." He affirmed with a nod, taking a few steps back, towards the marked apple blossom.
Lekalis tapped his brow with two fingers,
"I Was a Lord, you know. I've plans to seize some land after our expedition... I intend to build up a Bath-and-Board, have I told you--?" He inquired rapid fire, it seemed his lips were having trouble keeping up with his mind, as he abruptly whipped around.

Lekalis' cloak was sent in a slight splay as he patted his foot on the lightly trodden path, he jerked his head to it,
"Seems we've a trail, fair Hunter."
\\

[Outisakanobody]

"We should get this sealed soon. Is anyone doing something about that?" Grace asked, but she wondered if this was the person to talk to.

Lance took a respectful step back from the hole, partially to remove himself from the smell.

[Vanitypirate]

"We gotta... figure out where to put the concrete next; make sure it's not in a place where the creeps can come back." The guard frowned in thought, nodding. He scratched at his rather sorry attempt at a beard.
"A-and some folks got kidnapped, we think. These are the easiest ways to go an' follow 'em."

[Outisakanobody]

"Mmmm I would prefer to have more people watching this hole. You, boy,equip yourself and guard this hole." Grace says to Lance, who sputtered but could not protest effectively before the vestal walked away. "I will be back." she said over her shoulder before brushing past the nun that brought her there.

[Vanitypirate]

The guard looked to Lance, still scratching his beard; he winced as his nails scraped over a pimple between the hairs.
He shrugged and turned back to the hole.

"Nice day?"

--
The nun's eyes flitted frantically to Grace, and then to the door, and back again, before she decided on following after her.

[Outisakanobody]

"...Not very good, no..." Lance says with a shake of his head. "Well, I suppose I shall be returning with my gear shortly." the boy says as he leaves the room to go and gather his equipment.

//

"I will be heading to the sanitarium to inquire if they need any assistance. You may stay here and let anyone who asks know that...And be sure that equipment I had requested from the funeral monks is delivered to my quarters." Grace says in a curt and business like tone as she heads to exit the abbey.

[Vanitypirate]

The nun nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow as she watched Grace leave.
"S-stay safe! I'll wait on you!"

---
"...Aye."

The guard furrowed his brow, scratching at his beard, still.
He did not expect Lance to come back; in his shoes, the guard knew that he himself would not.

[Outisakanobody]

"...Thank you for your help. And for the tea." Grace says to the nun before moving toward the sanitarium.

//

Lance came back in his exquisite armor and sword, complete with dragon helm. He tilted his head to the guard, should he still be there.

[Vanitypirate]

The guard's eyes widened at the sight of him.
"Wha..."

He looked down and found his own armor rather lacking in comparison and made a mental note to ask for a raise.

[black379]

Courcy huffed in defeat. The ex-lord must have known what she meant. She could hardly imagine herself with a husband, with children, and a home. Not because she didn't want it, but because she was always spurned from it. Clearly Lekalis had his own aspirations, and the hellion played only a subsequent part in it.

"No more monster hunting?" She was actually surprised to hear that, and of his plans to expand the humble bath house of his. She almost laughed. "What'll you need me for then?"

Spotting the shadowy hovel up ahead, Courcy stopped fidgeting with her polearm and trotted with determination on the dirt path.

[Bloodtrailkiller]

/Lekalis/

Lekalis shared her laughter, nodding as he shrugged; stepping on and out through the humble path to their, hopeful, destination. Part of him still worried that perhaps the two men were in more dire straits within the Estate than he'd like. But, with his laughter subsiding as he stepped on and out of the Abbey, he supposed the man was dead either way. Either by freakish worms and cultists, or by his family.

"Well... I could teach you how to cook? And I'll always need a strong arm to handle the more... violent types that flock to the Estate, y'know?" He mused, thumbing the hairs on his chin as he departed...

\Lekalis and Courcy to Misc. Buildings or Hamlet Streets? Vanitypirate\

[Outisakanobody]

"My name is sir Lancelot, by the way. What is your name?" Lance asks his fellow guard as he tries to get comfortable.

[Outisakanobody]

Grace entered the abbey from the streets again, having found some form of purpose again. She traveled back down into the depths, back to that breach she had been shown earlier. She found two people there, one she assumed to be that boy she had left here. "Boy?" she asks aloud, not remembering if she had asked his name or not. Lance shot to attention and marched over, standing before her in his full armor. She noted with some level of envy the quality of his armor, clearly he was from a well off background, but she also noted it looked all but unused.

"Anything to report?" she asks, expecting the answer "No" from the boy.

"Nothing happened at all...Mother." Lance says, confirming her expectations.

"Well, good. I do not think your presence is needed here any longer." Grace says, pausing in thought. "Follow me." she says, and turns on her heel to exit. Lance lurched forward to follow the woman, though he had little idea what she wanted with him at this point. She led him up, and back to her own room. Turning around, she looks the boy up and down again. "Come inside, please." she says and enters. Still confused, Lance internally shrugs and follows.